June 29, 2011

MacBook Availability Constraint Should Signal the End, Not a Refresh

"Availability of Apple's current $999 white MacBook, built with hardware that is now getting long in the tooth, has become constrained, potentially signaling a forthcoming update to the entry-level notebook."

I wonder whether there is a future for this machine. The current MacBook Air 11-inch model is priced identically, and the 13-inch MacBook Pro is just $200 more. The 13-inch MacBook Air is $300 more. Given Apple's habit of keeping the same price points when introducing technically improved models, we can expect next month's rumored MacBook Air refresh to price out the same as existing models, but with improved features.

So it begs the question, why would I pay $999 for a polycarbonate MacBook, when I can, for the same money, have a thin, light, and functionally identical MacBook Air? Or spend a little more and have a same-sized MacBook Pro?